Isn’t money good?

Chapter 13

Yan Shiqiu held the goose that had fluttered into his arms, completely bewildered.

After coming to his senses, he didn’t dare move a muscle.

The scene was chaotic with geese scattering everywhere, showing extreme aggression, combined with Su Yunmu and Wu Shan’s screams and barking dogs. The program crew was frantically trying to catch the geese and dogs, too busy to notice him.

Yan Shiqiu stood like a wooden post among the flock of geese, asking himself the classic three questions: “Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?” He felt like crying but had no tears.

After what felt like an eternity but was only about ten seconds, someone finally noticed him and the goose in his arms, rushing over to take it away.

But the goose in his arms seemed truly frightened. As soon as the staff member approached, it started fluttering again, desperately burrowing into his embrace as if treating him like a safe harbor.

Yan Shiqiu: “…”

“Don’t come over, I’ll handle this myself.” Any more movement and the goose would smack him in the face with its wings.

Seeing this, the staff member stopped in place, not daring to move.

In the distance, the runaway dog had been caught, and the other geese had been herded together. The chaotic scene calmed down, leaving only Yan Shiqiu and his goose.

Wu Shan and Su Yunmu also calmed down. Seeing Yan Shiqiu holding the goose with a lifeless expression, Wu Shan burst into unkind laughter while Su Yunmu turned her head aside, being slightly more reserved in her amusement.

Yan Shiqiu shot them death glares.

Wu Shan had fully recovered his energy, bouncing around and making faces at him. “It looks quite attached to you, don’t be scared.”

Yan Shiqiu, still holding the goose, looked expressionlessly at the director team. “Can I request that Wu Shan be my assistant later?”

The director team was quite fair: “Yes.”

Wu Shan, suddenly sold out: “?”

“I protest—” He stretched out his hand.

“Protest rejected.” The director team was ruthlessly cold.

After professionally maximizing the show’s entertainment value, Yan Shiqiu turned his attention back to the goose in his arms.

It wasn’t attacking him, and just as Wu Shan said, it did seem quite dependent on him, apparently deciding he wouldn’t harm it and including him in its territory.

He had absolutely no experience raising geese. The only time he’d ever encountered geese was as a child visiting his maternal grandparents, when the neighbors raised geese. Not knowing he should avoid them, he thought they were like the swans his family kept—harmless—and ended up being chased and pecked.

He wasn’t really hurt, but it was very painful.

Pulling his thoughts from the memory, Yan Shiqiu looked down at the goose. It had calmed down, resting its head on his shoulder, leisurely occupying his embrace.

“…” He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Yan Shiqiu tried moving slightly and found the goose only moved its head before settling down again. So he slowly crouched down, gently placing it on the ground.

After being set down, the goose flapped its wings twice and continued staring at Yan Shiqiu.

A few seconds later, it turned around and rejoined its companions.

Yan Shiqiu’s tense muscles relaxed as he breathed a sigh of relief.

At this moment, Chen Feng approached, avoiding the cameras. “Are you okay?”

“No need, it didn’t attack me.” Yan Shiqiu said.

“Let’s have you checked anyway.” Chen Feng was worried. If something happened to a celebrity, the show would be thrust into the spotlight and criticized to death.

Yan Shiqiu understood his concerns. “Alright.”

After following Chen Feng for a medical examination that confirmed he had no injuries whatsoever, Chen Feng finally relaxed and let him go shower.

Returning to the goose pen, Wu Shan quickly ran to his side, asking with concern: “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Yan Shiqiu smiled.

Wu Shan observed him for a few seconds before smiling as well.

“Then continue your task.” Wu Shan stuffed the corn back into his hands. “You haven’t finished feeding your geese yet, hahaha.”

Yan Shiqiu narrowed his eyes. “You’re done for. I’m very petty, and you’ll be my assistant later.”

Wu Shan immediately put on a flattering face. “Please spare me!”

“Sure, if you help me feed them.”

Wu Shan waved his hands vigorously. “No, no, I choose to be your assistant. Being an assistant is great. I love being an assistant!”

Yan Shiqiu gave a meaningful “oh” and walked back toward the flock with his corn.

Actually, after holding the goose for so long, perhaps through some “fight fire with fire” effect, he wasn’t as afraid of the geese anymore and even found them somewhat cute.

He strolled leisurely toward the flock, scattering corn kernels handful by handful to feed them, completely relaxed.

After finishing, he turned to leave, rolling up his sleeves, planning to negotiate with the program crew.

He’d made such a sacrifice, so asking for more ingredients wasn’t unreasonable, right?

Just as Yan Shiqiu left the goose pen, Wu Shan patted his shoulder, suppressing laughter as he said: “Quick, turn around and look behind you. You have a little tail.”

?

What?

He turned around to see the goose he’d held for so long had followed him all the way to the fence, even trying to flap its wings to get out.

“It definitely thinks you’re its mother.” Wu Shan said.

Yan Shiqiu: “…”

Suddenly inspired, Yan Shiqiu thought of something, turned back, and tentatively extended his hand toward the goose.

The goose didn’t peck him. It even nuzzled him twice.

He smiled, opened the gate to let the goose out, and walked ahead with it following behind, approaching the director team with great momentum.

Director team: ???

Yan Shiqiu spoke up: “Director Chen, let’s talk about the ingredients. As you can see, I’m now someone with backing.”

He stepped aside, revealing the proud, imposing goose behind him.

Chen Feng: “…”

Other staff members: “…”

In the end, with his superior negotiating skills and a goose as his bodyguard, Yan Shiqiu successfully obtained an additional pound of pork belly and four pounds of spare ribs. Congratulations all around.

Wu Shan, who had witnessed the entire process, looked at him admiringly: “Amazing, bro.”

Yan Shiqiu returned his newly acquired little tail—the goose—to the pen, then smiled at Wu Shan, accepting the “bro” title before adding: “Say it again, it sounds nice.”

Wu Shan: “…”

With the morning tasks complete, Wu Shan and Yan Shiqiu carried their acquired ingredients back to the courtyard at a leisurely pace, where everyone else had also returned.

“Did you see a doctor?” Su Yunmu walked over to Yan Shiqiu. She had returned earlier to shower and didn’t know about the subsequent events.

The others had also heard about the goose jumping into his arms and gathered around to show their concern.

“Those geese are very aggressive. On our first day, Wu Shan and Lin Qiu were chased up trees and got pecked.” Lu Ze said.

“Were you hurt?” Lin Xue asked.

Xia Linqiu probably remembered the incident, his expression cracking slightly. “I have ointment.”

Zhang Xiaowen said nothing but looked at him with concern.

Tu Ya also remained silent, still cool as ever, but gave him an extra glance.

Yan Shiqiu smiled gently. “The goose didn’t peck me, it just clung to my arms and wouldn’t move.”

“That’s right, now that goose treats Yan Shiqiu like its mother, following him around like a little tail.” Wu Shan eagerly shared. “Then Yan Shiqiu used it as backing to get more ingredients from the director team. A pound of pork belly and four pounds of spare ribs. Their faces turned green, haha.”

“Pork belly!”

“Spare ribs!”

Xia Linqiu and Zhang Xiaowen spoke in unison, swallowing their saliva.

The next second, their faces scrunched up simultaneously, casting resentful looks at Lu Ze.

Lu Ze had been on the receiving end of such looks too many times and understood perfectly. He shrugged: “I tried my best. It might not taste good, but at least it’s edible. If I let you guys cook, it wouldn’t even make it to your mouths.”

Well… that was also true.

Xia Linqiu and Zhang Xiaowen lowered their heads.

Yan Shiqiu patted their shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’ll cook today. Trust me.”

It was already past noon, nearly one o’clock, and everyone was hungry. They didn’t continue chatting in the courtyard and instead divided up tasks to prepare lunch.

The three girls were assigned to wash vegetables and peel garlic, Wu Shan and Xia Linqiu chopped firewood, Zhang Xiaowen helped tend the fire, while Yan Shiqiu worked with Lu Ze to cut and prepare vegetables.

Once everything was ready, Yan Shiqiu began cooking.

The house came equipped with a wood-fired stove, one with fire burning below, and a large iron wok supported above. When the fire burned bright and the vegetables hit the wok, smoke filled the entire room.

But at that moment, the aroma was completely released, wafting outside.

Those who had been chatting in the courtyard couldn’t sit still anymore, all imitating Jerry Mouse by following the scent to the kitchen door, stacking like a human tower to peek inside.

“So fragrant, so fragrant, so fragrant!”

“Wah, why am I so moved?”

…

Tu Ya seemed quite surprised. She stared at Yan Shiqiu bustling at the stove for a long time, then lowered her eyes and left.

Yan Shiqiu prepared seven dishes in total: stir-fried bean curd with meat, baby bok choy, braised spare ribs, stir-fried broccoli, sweet and sour fish, beef and potato stew, and cucumber salad.

He also used the remaining spare ribs to make a pot of lotus root and spare rib soup.

When the seven dishes and soup were served, Xia Linqiu and Wu Shan looked at Yan Shiqiu with worship in their eyes, while Zhang Xiaowen’s eyes sparkled like stars.

Yan Shiqiu untied his apron and lifted the back of his hand to wipe his sweat. “Tissue.” Tu Ya’s distinctive voice sounded by his ear. He turned his head to see a packet of tissues. Looking up, he met Tu Ya’s gaze.

He accepted them. “Thank you.”

“No need.” Pressing her lips together, Tu Ya added: “You worked hard.”

Yan Shiqiu looked at her in surprise, but Tu Ya had already picked up a dish and left the kitchen.

Two seconds later, Yan Shiqiu smiled.

Well, not bad progress. At least Tu Ya was beginning to change her opinion of him.

Though he didn’t particularly mind Tu Ya disliking him, she was after all a fellow artist under Fang Yuhua’s management. They’d inevitably run into each other at the company, and if people used it as gossip material, it would be more trouble than it was worth.

After the meal, everyone collapsed in their chairs, enjoying the peaceful satisfaction of full bellies while savoring the memory of the delicious food.

Yan Shiqiu took a sip of water and looked at Wu Shan, who was seriously reminiscing. “You still owe me a ‘daddy.’”

Wu Shan obligingly said: “Daddy.”

Yan Shiqiu was satisfied.

Wu Shan clung to him, eagerly placing his order: “Daddy, tonight I want oil-braised shrimp and spicy diced chicken.”

Yan Shiqiu waved his hand grandly. “No problem, as long as you can get the ingredients.”

“I definitely can!” Wu Shan patted his chest in guarantee.

Su Yunmu said: “Then can I place an order too?”

“Me too!” Xia Linqiu chimed in.

“Me.” Zhang Xiaowen wiped his mouth, rarely speaking up.

“In that case, I’ll join in too.” Lin Xue smiled gently at Yan Shiqiu.

Lu Ze looked distressed. “I’m doomed. How can I cook anymore? It used to be barely tolerable, but now it won’t even be edible.”

Everyone laughed again.

After lunch was nap time. Since the sun was too intense and could cause heatstroke, the program crew wasn’t heartless enough to ignore it.

Yan Shiqiu was preparing to take a nap. Just as he lay down, his WeChat notification rang.

He picked up his phone to glance at it, and his good mood instantly vanished.